Monthly Archives: September 2012

Hey everyone its Rahad and since last class I took the advice of Professor Kafka and now deciding between my research topics.  I am now narrowing down to two choices either Should guns be legal or not? and to What extent do we follow the second amendment when it comes to gun control?. I am actually leaning towards the first choice because the second amendment goes in to history with rules an regulation.  I typed in the second amendment and gun control in Google and clicked on a Huffington post article. The first three sentences of the article got me so bored because they were talking about James Madison and the Union. I am not trying to write history paper, but something on gun control. I kinda decided what I will write on ,but still being open minded.

Hello All,

OK, so I have been very indecisive lately. I was having a hard time between the welfare topic and the death penalty, but I think I’m sticking with the death penalty. My research question will try to answer what is the advantages and disadvantages of the death penalty in the United States. Hopefully towards the end I will have enough information to understand the topic on a deeper level, and perhaps at that point I will be able to take a stance on the issue. As of now I am mutual because I really don’t have enough information on the topic. I ask all of you if you come across any articles to please notify me about it. Thanks !

Things to Explore:

– History of the death penalty

–  Statistics that relate to subjects of the punishment ( Race, geographical information, income levels etc.)

– Conservative views ( Pro)

– Liberal views (against)

– Constitutionality

– Religious views ( Morality)

These are just a few of the initial ideas I have. I will begin by first looking at peer reviewed research just to get an idea of how society views this issue.

Since our last class session I have had several stints of “attempting” to find research to narrow my research topic. Upon reading the chapters in The  Craft of Research,  I think I have more of an idea where I want to go with this paper. I would like to research the historical stigmas and policies associated with welfare recipients. I still think my topic needs to be refined so, I’m open to any suggestions you guys may have. Also,I would also advise anyone who is still unsure about there topic to follow some of the sources given in the book.  Gale Virtual Reference Library is  a great reference for anyone  who wants basic information on their potential topic.

Good Luck with your Research,

Dana Howell

I’ve been doing some research on my topic of immigration reform. As I explained in class, it is a very broad topic that has many subtopics. I was contemplating the idea of addressing the difficulties of obtaining citizenship in the U.S. But I received a great suggestion from Professor Kafka. She suggested to look at the policies in place in states like Arizona and Georgia and comparing them to states like California and New York. I found several articles which discuss different policies in the states I listed previously. An interesting article I found was from the UCLA Law Review, “Local Immigration Prosecution: A Study of Arizona Before SB 1070”. Not only does the article briefly discuss what is currently going on in Arizona but it also discusses how things were (in terms of immigration) before the SB 1070. It gave me a solid background and explained the events that lead up to the passing of the Senate Bill 1070. I also found several other articles that I am in the process of reading. I think I am going to continue on this route and explore the policies of these states further.

Hi Everyone,

I am currently a senior at Baruch in Public Affairs; this semester will be my last.  Many moons ago, I had previously attended a college out of state, where I majored in African American studies and minored in economics.  Upon returning to New York, I worked in human resources, as well as imaging sales, before returning to school.

In my spare time, I enjoy reading, writing, watching politics and quirky movies, and going on mini-adventures.  This past weekend, I explored the batteries of Sandy Hook in New Jersey; what once was a military base to protect New York and New Jersey’s waters is now a national park that holds America’s oldest functioning lighthouse.  A half-hour ferry ride from New York that is definitely worth it: http://www.nps.gov/gate/planyourvisit/thingstodosandyhook.htm

I hope this will be a great semester!

-Celeste

I am currently a rising senior at Baruch College, pursuing my B.A. in Public Affairs and a minor in English. Committed to helping reduce educational disparities and working to promote youth development, I have been increasingly inspired by my experience within the nonprofit sector and motivated by the underdeveloped potential that resides within minority and underrepresented communities. I have interned at the Jacob A. Riis Neighborhood Settlement House, working toward the design and development of an after-school program for high school students, which further solidified my desires to work within the field of public policy and nonprofit. Since then, I have interned at Global Kids and am currently continuing my internship at Year Up. I am the founder of the Baruch Chapter of Women of Excellence, Strength and Tenacity (WEST) and am working alongside a truly amazing team of strong and dedicated young women leaders to ensure that all WEST programs are developed purposely and provide all who attend newfound knowledge, motivation and a strong community of women leaders.

Hello Everyone,

My Name is Dana Howell, a Senior in the Public Affairs Program . I transferred to Baruch College with the intention of studying Finance but I realized the field wasn’t for me.  I am particularly interested in the economic effects of  Public Policy.Upon completing my Undergraduate degree, I hope to go on to study Political Economy at the Graduate Level.

In my spare time I like baking, reading and spending time with my family. A random fact about me, is my ridiculous obsession with London. I love English fashion, art and Soccer. I’ve never gone to England but I hope to go next year.

Hello everyone, my name is Mariam. I transferred in from Laguardia Community College as a business student. I came in set on studying marketing since I am such an analytical person. However upon hearing about Baruch’s Math courses I became discouraged and believed that I would not be able to complete the requirements to gain access into Zicklin. Upon taking Pre-Calculus and having done exceedingly well, I considered going back to Marketing. However by that time I had already genuinely found myself in Public Affairs. Upon graduating I hope to be employed in an organization that fights for human rights, specifically focusing on women’s rights both domestic and international.